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The Yakut people or Sakha, as they call themselves make up one of the most numerous ethnic groups in Siberia. Belonging to one of the oldest and most developed tribes of Siberia, with very diverse means of subsistence they have proved to be very different to their Siberian neighbours.
Their primary method of survival was not hunting or fishing as with many other Siberian tribes but was through pastoral farming. When migrating from southern territories further north to harsher climates they took their livestock with them and continued to breed them, although the temperature disparity was quite dramatic. The people were also refined in river fishing and hunting for valuable furs, such as black foxes, red squirrels, ermines, martens and sables which were rife in their region. Unfortunately, in the past Russians realised the Yakut’s affluence in resources and reacted to this by pillaging from them. This has led to a gradual influx of Russian settlers since the late 18th century who now constitute roughly half of the population of the Yakutia Republic. The Yakut themselves make up 33.4% of the population of the Yakutia Republic, being the second largest group and another 120 nationalities are represented in the 1 million inhabitants.
Traditionally the Yakut migrated for the summer and winter seasons to camps widely spread out. The summer camps were large in comparison to the winter camps which were made up of clusters of 2 or 3 domiciles, totalling fewer than 20 dwellers. These dwellings, named “yurt”, were square with pyramidal roofs of which the pivotal point was the hearth, due to the religious importance of the fire. This does not apply to all Yakut nowadays, as in many cases their previous beliefs in animistic religion have deviated, due to the Russian influence in the 30s, under the Stalin regime, when a large amount of Yakut shamans were executed or exiled. Many Yakut are now nominal Orthodox Christians, some are still animists and others are atheists.
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